Gun-rights advocates to rally at CT Capitol

A crowd gathers for the 2018 Second Amendment rally at the state Capitol.

A crowd gathers for the 2018 Second Amendment rally at the state Capitol.

Photo: Christine Stuart / CTNewsJunkie.com

Photo: Christine Stuart / CTNewsJunkie.com

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A crowd gathers for the 2018 Second Amendment rally at the state Capitol.

A crowd gathers for the 2018 Second Amendment rally at the state Capitol.

Photo: Christine Stuart / CTNewsJunkie.com

Gun-rights advocates to rally at CT Capitol

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HARTFORD — Supporters of the Second Amendment will gather 11 a.m. Saturday at the state Capitol in Hartford in response to recent calls for stricter gun control at the national level.

In the days and weeks following the shootings in El Paso, Texas, Dayton, Ohio, and Odessa, Texas, there has been a push to get Congress to expand background checks and tighten federal gun laws to bring them more in line with Connecticut’s laws. Connecticut bans the sale of large capacity magazines and assault weapons. Connecticut was also one of the first states in the nation to have a “red flag law” also known as a “risk warrant,” which allows certain individuals to report people who own guns and may be a threat to themselves or others.

U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, who spoke with President Donald Trump following the shootings, gave passage of expanded background checks a “less than 50/50 chance” of Congressional approval.

Earlier this week, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said, “The administration is in the process of studying what they’re prepared to support, if anything.”

McConnell said Tuesday that he expects to hear from the White House next week.

Republicans have been hesitant to support legislation that isn’t backed by Trump.

In the meantime, the Connecticut Citizens Defense League wants to send a message that stronger gun control laws won’t benefit anyone.

“We intend to send a solid message to every politician and citizen throughout our nation to not buy into gun control schemes and other false narratives,” CCDL said in a press release promoting the event. “Americans have a right to know and understand that every piece of legislation that impacts their constitutional right to keep and bear arms are designed to strip their rights on piece at a time.”

The rally Saturday will feature Maj Toure, the founder of Black Guns Matter, an organization that advocates the right to keep and bear arms.

In addition to hosting the rally, the Connecticut Citizens Defense League co-filed an amicus brief with National Rifle Association in support of gunmaker Remington.

Remington has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review a Connecticut ruling that reinstated a part of a lawsuit against Remington.

The families of some of the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting sued Remington claiming the company inappropriately marketed its Bushmaster AR-15 to a gunman who used to kill 20 first graders and six educators in 264 seconds.

In March, Connecticut’s Supreme Court refused to strike arguments regarding the marketing and advertising of the XM15-E2S weapon.

In its latest legal brief the NRA says “If the lower court’s opinion stands, firearm manufacturers and sellers will inevitably suffer economically (through verdicts and litigation expenses), potentially driving them out of the firearm business if not bankrupting them outright.”

And if that happens then attorneys for the NRA say “ law-abiding citizens will be unable to exercise their right to keep and bear arms because they will have nowhere to acquire those arms.”

Essentially, “the Second Amendment right would be meaningless if Americans cannot acquire firearms because of liability imposed upon the firearm industry for the criminal misuse of firearms by third parties.”

“We are proud to stand alongside the National Rifle Association with mutual support for Remington Arms and for the rights of legal gun owners,” CCDL President Scott Wilson said. “We hope that the Supreme Court considers addressing this issue.”